St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-01-04
FREIGHTS ON CEREALS.
a Comparison of the Prices of
Wheat and Corn in this and Other
Countries.

a comparison Oh the prices OIL
Wheat and Corn in this and Other
Countries.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 3.-Senator Aldrich,
chairman Of the senate committee on trans
portation routes to the seaboard, author
ICES the publication of the report of that
committee upon the subject of railroad
freightS in the United States and other
countries, the study of which for the pur-
pose of settling certain questions pertain
ing to Interstate commerce, has long been
in progress by his committee. The appoint
ment of a special senate committee upon
interstate commerce somewhat modified the
work originally mapped out by the commit
tee on transportation routes to the Seaboard;
and that committee decided not to take tes
timOny as it was authorized to do, but to
conduct special line of inquiry, to ascer-
tain if possible. the relative progress of the
great producing centerS. The complete re-
port makes 500 pages of printed matter and
contains many valuable tables and much
information on the subject of transporta-
ton, gathered from nearly every country
in the world. The first table indicates the
progress of the United States for genera
ton. Thirty three years ago we produced
100, coo. 600 bushels of wheat and about
600, 900, 600 bushels of corn. Twice in re-
cent wears we have reached 500, 600. 600
bushels of wheat, and in 1885, the corn
crop reached 800, 600. 600 bushels.
A FIVE-FOLD INCREASE IN WHEAT
ard three-fold increase in corn. The in
crease in other cereals has not been so rapid,
nor are they regarded by the committe as so
important as the increase in wheat and
corn. On the export trade the committee
says:
Wheat has already ranked first in value,
and in fifty eight years has added s.. SOC, 0C0,-
OOu 10 the value of our national wealth, sure
equivalent to four times the value OF eX-
ported corn and corn meal during the same
period. The report shows the countries to
which every bushel of this grain has been
exported. and the percentage of exports each
year from 1860 to 1883. The report also
shows the movement of grain within the
United States, and points out what changes
have taken place IN the grain centers of the
country since the close of the war. The
average annual receipts of gram in Portland
Maine, New Orleans, Detroit, Cleveland anC
other points have remained stationary
Boston New York, San Francisco. Toledo
Erie, ST. Louis and Peoria have, speaking
rouudly, doubled their average receipts dur
ing the latter period. Baltimore. Louisville
and Duluth have increased nearly three-fOld
while the average annual receipts at kanSa!
City have increased nine-fold. A marked in
crease is noticeable in Milwaukee and Buffalo
but there has been a decided decrease in thu
receipts of OsWego and Ogdensburg. Tht
Atlantic ports not only consume vast quaint
ties of the grain, but the bulk Of the produc
is shipped abroad therefrom. 1t is shown by
the tables that during the ten years ending
with 1883,
THE AVERAGE ANNUAL RECEIPTS
of cereals OF all kinds at these points hav;
been in round figures 260,000.000 bushels
Efforts were made by the committee to groul
to Ter the average yearly prices of grain
at the various grain centers of the Unitec
States for series of years and to show TIL
difference in price at variou, points between
these ge graphical sections, which would
represent in a measure the freights and tn
tendency of the rates of freight charges.
is shown, for example, that the difference il
the prices of corn between the Atlantic port
and the lake ports has steadily declined fror
81 cents per bushel in 1873 to 10 cents pc
bushel in 1888; the Atlantic ports and tn
western river ports from l9 cents in 1873 t
III cents in 1888. An attempt was maze b
the committee to ascertain the rates of freigh
for the principal intermediate point
TO the seaboard, and also from tn
intermediate points TO the principal cities G
various states This investigation was con
dueted in hopes of ascertaining facts in re
gard to the difference of rates charged fo
Iouy hauls and short hauls. and TO throw igt
upop the vexed question of long and
short haul In relation to this inquiry tn
committee SAYS: IF the returns from whic
the above summary is constructed may b
relied on (and the committee has been carefI
in selecting only returns that appeared upo